The 100th Infantry Battalion was a unit of second-generation Americans of Japanese ancestry men, nisei, who were born in Hawai‘i and achieved worldwide recognition as fierce fighters and loyal Americans. They achieved these accomplishments despite initial, unfounded suspicion and discrimination because they looked like the Japanese enemy who attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Together with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the 100th earned recognition as the most decorated in US military history for its size and length of service. There are only seven known living veterans remaining from the 100th.
Club 100 (primarily descendants) and its partners — ‘Iolani School, the University of Hawai‘i Center on Aging and Central Pacific Bank — are passionate about sharing the values of the 100th with youth, so they can apply these leadership characteristics to community service projects. They call this initiative “Legacy2Action.”
The concept was piloted in 2022 with four students. In 2024, over 100 students participated and shared creative solutions. Their foci included inspiring students to learn about their grandparents’ history and culture, providing hygiene supplies for the Women’s Correctional Center, providing more ethnic/diverse books for schools, promoting peace, containing fire ants and more. The students shared leadership values, such as gaman (quiet endurance), ganbari (perseverance) and giri (obligation), that made the nisei so successful, despite being small in stature — on average 5-feet 4-inches tall, weighing 125 pounds.
Organizers also welcomed kūpuna to help by sharing their knowledge. A few months ago, internationally acclaimed gerontologist Dr. Emi Kiyota visited the 100th Infantry Battalion Clubhouse and shared her thoughts on healthy aging, living with independence and purpose. Her studies show seniors enjoy giving to others and making a difference in their community. The organizers encourage kūpuna to share their skills and interests to help students develop their community service projects. Please share your interests by using the contact information below.
100th INFANTRY BATTALION VETERANS
520 Kamoku St. Honolulu, HI 96826
For more information:
info@100thbattalion.org | 808-946-0272
Written in collaboration with the UH Center on Aging and ’Iolani School
